Many types of garden refuse shredders are currently available and typically they include an inlet hopper which can be loaded with garden refuse for shredding as well as a small bore inlet tube for introducing small branches to be shredded. Mostly these machines utilise a flail assembly at the base of the hopper for shredding material fed through the hopper and a separate chipper assembly at the base of the small bore inlet tube for chipping small branches introduced therethrough.
Disadvantages associated with these types of shredders stems from their relative complexity often making servicing, such as drive belt and blade sharpening operations, difficult and unreliable. Furthermore the flail assembly is often readily accessible from the underside of the machine making them dangerous for operation around children. In addition the flail assembly shreds green leafy material to a very fine form which may not be the most suitable for garden mulching operations
Attempts have also been made to provide garden refuse shredding apparatus based on a simple shredding rotor such as is used in domestic rotary mowers. However because of the nature of materials which are fed to such apparatus such as long fibrous articles including palm fronds, long grass and tree refuse, it is common for the material to become entangled about the drive shaft of the spinning rotor. This entanglement can build up to such extent that it jams the machine and prevents further operation thereof or substantially reduces the efficiency of operation of the processor.
In some instances such entanglement about a drive shaft can damage seals and the like which extend about that drive shaft. Any build-up of such refuse is also undesirable as it will impede the throughput of refuse and cause fouling about the drive shaft.
Garden refuse shredders and other driven garden appliances are often operated by stand-alone petrol engines and electric motors fed by a power cord from the mains. Mains fed electric motors may be switched on and off remotely from the implement without knowledge of the user. This can lead to dangerous operating conditions as when operated many such electrical implements operate relatively silently. Inadvertent contact with a active parts of the implement may result with consequent injury to a user. This is particularly so in the case of garden refuse shredders where operators may wear ear muffs and where the spinning chipper rotor it contacted may cause instant serious injury.
While it is possible to provide override switches and the like to minimise such accidental occurrences, it is difficult to shield against careless operating practices while maintaining simplicity and reliability of the apparatus.
Aspects of the present invention aim to alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages and/or to provide garden refuse shredding apparatus which will be reliable and efficient in use.